Stocking and method of production



Dec. 25, 1951 HEDGECQCK 2,580,022

STOCKING AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION Filed Oct. 23, 1948 INVENTOR: 7970mm- Zeanardfkqqecacfit,

BYGZUM/W ATTORNEYS.

Patented Dec. 25, 1951 2,580,022 STOCKING AND METHOD OF PRODUCTION Thomas Leonard Hedgecock, Winston-Salem, N. 0., assignor to Hanes Hosiery Mills Company, Winston-Salem, N. 0., a corporation of North Carolina Application October 23, 1948, Serial No. 56,068

3 Claims. (01. 66-184) This invention relates to stockings and to methods of producing them. More specifically, it is concerned with full length seamless or ladies stockings such as are ordinarily produced commercially on circular knitting machines.

The procedure ordinarily followed in the manufacture of seamless stockings is to begin round and round knitting with relatively large loops, and as the knitting proceeds to graduate the loops and thereby taper the boot or leg portions from the tops to the ankles. Fashioned heel pockets are thereupon formed by oscillatory knitting, with resumption thereafter of tubular knitting without change in the size of the fabric loops from that of the ankle, to form the mid portions of the stocking feet, and finally another fashioned pocket is formed, as before, to serve for the toe. In stockings thus produced, the girth of the feet corresponds exactly to that of the ankles. This foot width was invariably inadequate, particularly across the ball region. Accordingly, when the stockings are put on, the loops in the foot fabric are forcibly distended laterally and correspondingly contracted longitudinally. The foot length as a whole is thus materially reduced so that seamless stockings of standardized nominal sizes made as heretofore, cramped the wearers feet to the detriment of more general acceptance and use of such stockings by the public.

My invention is directed toward overcoming the above disadvantages. This objective is realized as hereinafter more fully set forth, through provision of a new method for the production of an improved better fitting stocking wherein the fabric loops gradually increase in size in a portion of the foot adjacent the heel up to a definite point, and wherein the loops in the remainder of the foot are uniform in length and of the definitely enlarged size.

In the drawings, Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of my improved flattened seamless stock-. ing blank as it comes from the producing machine and after closure of its toe pocket; and

Fig. 2 is a view like Fig. 1 showing the finished stocking after having been shaped by boarding in the usual manner.

The seamless hosiery blank illustrated in Fig. 1 is, generally speaking, of customary construction in that it has a leg or boot 5 which is reduced from full width at the top to a relatively narrow ankle 6 by gradual decrease in the size of the loops through one and more stages during the knitting. Upon completion of the angle at the line 'l8, a fashioned heel pocket 9 is knitted by reciprocatory knitting in a well known manner.

With the heel pocket completed at the line 1-40, round and round knitting is resumed in line l3-I4, the fabric loops are gradually enlarged to a definite size and thereafter maintained constant at the enlarged size throughout the knitting of the mid portion l5 of the foot to the line |6l'|. Finally another fashioned pocket 18 is produced as before by reeiprocatory knitting to serve for the toe. After its comple tion, the stocking is flat boarded in the usual way and given the configuration shown in Fig, 2.

From the foregoing it will be seen that, through my invention, it is possible to produce good fitting seamless st ckings of nominal sizes in which 'the feet, while amply elastic transversely, are

sufficiently large as to width to preclude any foreshortening in the foot length when the stockings are put on.

Having thus described my invention, I claim: v 1. As a new article of manufacture, a seamless stocking having a tubular leg in which the fabric loops decreasein size from an upper portion of the stocking to the ankle; and a foot including a fashioned heel pocket; a tubular portion adjacent the heel in which the loops are gradually enlarged to a definite size, an intermediate. longer tubular mid portion formed throughout of loops of said enlarged definite size, and a fashioned toe pocket.

2. As a new article of manufacture, a seam-.

less stocking having a tubular leg in which the fabric loops gradually decrease in size from an upper portion of the stocking to the ankle region; and a foot including a fashioned heel pocket, a relatively narrow tubular portion immediately adjacent the heel pocket in which the loops correspond in size to those of the ankle, a continuing tubular portion in which the loops are gradually increased to a definite size, a continuing intermediate longer tubular portion formed throughout of loops of said enlarged definite size,

and a toe pocket.

3. A new method of producing a seamless stocking which consists in the steps of forming a leg by tubular knitting with gradual decrease in the size of the fabric loops from an upper portion of the stocking to the ankle; then forming a fashioned heel pocket by reciprocatory knitting; then resuming tubular knitting for a time without change in loop size; then continuing tubular knitting for a time with gradual increase in loop size; then continuing tubular knitting for another time without change in loop size to form a mid foot portion; and finally forming a fashioned toe pocket by reciprocatory knitting.

THOMAS LEONARD I-LEDGECOCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the fileof this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 200,225 Shaw Feb. 12, 1878 2,474,894 Gottschalck July 5, 1949 

